Africa in Motion 2007

Xala (still courtesy BFI)

25 October - 4 November 2007

Welcome to the second Africa in Motion (AiM) film
festival. After the massive success of last year's
festival we bring you another fantastic programme of more
than 30 brilliant films from all over the continent
- features, documentaries and shorts
- spanning more than half a century of
filmmaking in Africa. You will see depictions of the
expansive panoramas of rural Africa alongside the dense
urban landscapes of modern Africa, experience the richness
and diversity of African histories, cultures and
traditions, and hear stories of struggles and victories
- told with humour, passion and
creativity.

AiM 2007 is dedicated to the memory of Senegalese director
Ousmane Sembene, often hailed as "the father of African
cinema", who passed away in June this year at the age of
84. A highly political artist, his films were often fired
by anger at injustice but were also comic, moving and
beautifully crafted. We are screening two of his greatest
films - Xala (the opening film of the
festival) and Black Girl.

The festival has three further thematic strands: The
Bicentenary of the Abolition of the British Slave Trade is
celebrated by a number of screenings and other events; AiM
has a spotlight on Ghana to mark 50 years of independence
from Britain; and we have a focus on women directors
- a not-to-be missed opportunity to see
three pioneering classics and the UK premieres of two
contemporary films by female filmmakers.

Several directors will be in attendance to talk to
audiences after screenings, and brief introductions before
screenings will put the films in context. A range of talks
and discussions will further enhance screenings. Filmhouse
café bar will host performances by African musicians and
an exhibition by internationally acclaimed Nigerian
cartoonist Tayo Fatunla. Books, posters and DVDs will be
for sale in the foyer for the duration of the festival.

Tickets will go on sale on Friday, 21 September. Book early to avoid disappointment!

Endorsements:

Midge Ure: "Live Aid was an entertainment format that was
used to highlight the humanitarian issues in Africa
through music. Now, through Africa in Motion some great
African filmmakers are being given a long overdue
opportunity to screen their work and tell their own
thought-provoking and innovative stories about Africa".